Hinckley AFC were beaten in the A5 derby as Nuneaton Town took the honours thanks to a dominant first half.
In front of a bumper crowd of 802, the home side made most of the first-half running and led through a Lucinee Donzo own goal and Danico Johnson’s fine strike.
Callum Carsley wrapped up the points with five minutes left, but Lewis Rankin gave the large travelling contingent something to cheer with a late consolation.
It was a tough night for Hinckley who didn’t play to their potential and struggled to get to grips with a Nuneaton side who played with the confidence of an unbeaten, top-of-the-table team. The hosts moved the ball crisply and were quicker and stronger in midfield, and when Hinckley did get the ball back, they didn’t keep it well enough to ease the pressure.
Keelan Fallows was a busy man in the Hinckley goal – he made smart saves from Johnson and then a Carsley rocket to keep it level after the opening quarter-hour.
In between those chances, Hinckley’s best opening came when Louis Baker’s switch found Zach Tellyn, who cut inside and bent one narrowly wide of the far post.
But that was a rare foray forward for AFC. You sensed the opening goal was coming and, after Eesa Sawyers dragged wide when through on goal, it came on 21 minutes when a cross from the right flashed across the face of goal and bounced off the unfortunate Donzo to give the hosts the lead.
It was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Fallows made another excellent stop from James Harrison, before the same player blazed over when well-placed.
And just as Hinckley thought they might be able to go in at 1-0 down and regroup, they were hit five minutes before the break when Johnson carried forward and unleashed a fine strike from 25 yards into the bottom corner.
That meant the second-half was virtually a non-event for long spells. Nuneaton were content to keep the ball and neither ‘keeper had to make a save until the final 15 minutes, when Fallows denied Charlie Jones and Harrison’s efforts from outside the box.
And Nuneaton secured the points with five minutes left, when a short corner was played back to Carsley and his cross-shot sailed inside the far post.
Hinckley did, at least, give themselves something to cheer about three minutes later when Tellyn’s pass picked out Rankin, who got in behind the defence and lobbed home.
But it was too little, too late for AFC who have now lost three games in a row and need to quickly put that behind them with a pair of Leicestershire derbies on the way, starting at Leicester Nirvana on Saturday.
Nuneaton: Alex Graham, Kai Thomas, Callum Carsley, Michael McGrath, Loyiso Recci, Declan Somel, Danico Johnson, James Harrison, Eesa Sawyers, Charlie Jones, Alex Lock. Subs not used: Stuart Hendrie, Kyle Jardine, Dante Hesson, Aaron Brown, Trevor Edwards.
Goals: Lucinee Donzo (21 OG), Danico Johnson (40), Callum Carsley (85)
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Lucinee Donzo (Amari Osayande 83), James Sanderson (Lewis Rankin 67), Lukman Darboe (Jake Tullin 75), Jacob Shilton, Will Harris, Jared Bradshaw, Reece Massey (Caleb Yeboah 46), Louis Baker, Jordan Clement, Zach Tellyn. Sub not used: Chandler Pegg
Goal: Lewis Rankin (88)
Attendance: 802
